


Hello

by alafaye, orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 10:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2577488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco had no idea that his life would change completely when Scorpius started school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello

**Author's Note:**

  * For [panicparade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/panicparade/gifts).



> Thanks to my beta, digthewriter, (though all remaining mistakes are my own).

"Papa, can we get some ice cream?" Scorpius asked. No begging, no pleading, no bargaining.

Draco's stomach clenched, just a little. From the twist in his memories, mostly. When he had been Scorpius age, he had known what he needed to do to get what he wanted. His father had taught him that lesson early on. Malfoys never simply asked for anything--they simply found out what would work best to get what they wanted.

Scorpius, though, hadn't been raised to know that he could get everything if he only asked the right way. It didn't matter that Draco could afford to get them both a scoop or if Scorpius had been good. Oh, bad behaviour wasn't rewarded and there were gifts for good behaviour, but Draco had raised him to understand sometimes, what one wanted wasn't the right time for it. Or it simply wasn't a good time for it.

Sometimes, one didn't get what one wanted and that was okay. Draco made sure that some of those instances, there wasn't a reason for not getting something that Scorpius wanted. 

Draco lost count of how well behaved Scorpius was. It was nice, knowing that Draco was doing something better than his parents.

"Not today," Draco answered. "We have to get home. You are starting school tomorrow."

Scorpius' face pinched and Draco half smiled. The idea of school hadn't gone over well. Scorpius liked reading and the little math Draco had taught him, but for some reason, the idea of going away for a few hours every day wasn't appealing. Draco isn't sure if it's being away from their home, away from Draco, or the new addition to his days; Scorpius hadn't told him yet.

"That's why we have to go to the shop?" Scorpius thoughtfully pointed out.

Draco smiled. "To pick up your uniform."

Scorpius huffed. "I don't like it."

"I think you look rather dashing in it," Draco argued.

"But it's red!" Scorpius groused. "Red is for girls."

Draco raised his eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Yeah, it's the colour you need to make pink," Scorpius explained, as if trying to sound grown up, like Draco when he was talking with his customers. "So, it's a girly colour."

Draco sighed and squeezed Scorpius' hand. "Maybe one day you'll change your mind." Though the thought of Scorpius in Gryffindor...Draco set that thought aside quickly. It didn't matter which house Scorpius was sorted into. "When you get to Hogwarts, you might be a Gryffindor and one of their house colours is red."

"I want to be a Ravenclaw," Scorpius announced, "because they get to wear blue which is a _boy's_ colour."

Draco chuckled. "Is that so? I'll have you know that a hundred years ago, blue was traditional for girls and pink was for boys."

Scorpius' face when hearing that fact was one that Draco would remember forever.

~~~

The bell above the door rang out and Draco, arranging some flowers for a funeral, called out, "I'll be with you in a moment!"

Scorpius laughed. "Silly, Daddy! It's only me."

Draco smiled, but didn't turn around. "How do I know that you are my son? Maybe you're just trying to trick me."

Scorpius sighed, sounding completely exasperated. "Daddies and mommies always know their children."

"I suppose I have to agree with you if you are so sure," Draco said, nodding his head. He wrapped a ribbon around the vase and looked over his shoulder. Scorpius had already sat down at the little desk put aside for him in the back and opened his backpack. "Have a good day at school?"

Scorpius grinned. "It was better than I expected! We did some math and we tried writing our names." He pulled out a piece of construction paper and held it up proudly. "We even had arts and crafts and I made this for you!"

Draco took it, though as usual he couldn't make out what it was. There was something like the sun up in the corner and some grass on the bottom. Maybe two figures who could've been himself and Scorpius if the two figures weren't the same size. "This is great, Scorpius!"

"That's me and my new friend!" Scorpius explained, standing on his chair to point to the one with black hair. "This is Albus, though he doesn't really like his name. He says it's too weird and old."

Draco swallowed hard. "Albus? Yeah, that's an...odd name."

Scorpius giggled. "I like it though! We're the only two in our class who have unique names! When I found out, I told him that we had to be friends because then people never get us confused! Not like with the three Johns or the two Marys."

Draco nodded, absently. "That makes sense."

Anything else, though, was lost as Scorpius realized that his father wasn't paying a lot of attention, but Draco couldn't stop himself from wondering what the odds were that there was another child in London who had that name. Because last he had known, Potter had named one of his boys Albus. It had to be coincidence, right? It might just be another child named after the famous wizard. Had to.

"Sorry," Draco gasped. "Did you do anything else?"

Scorpius studied Draco for only another second. "Not really, but we got homework." His nose wrinkled at the thought.

Draco laughed and ruffled Scorpius' hair. Scorpius whined and sat down, sulking. Draco shook his head. "Do your homework and then I'll let you help me with the customers."

Scorpius let out a heavy breath that moved his bangs. "Fine. If I have to."

Draco dropped a kiss on his head. "You have to."

~~~

"Have a good day!" Scorpius chirped at the woman as he gave her the change.

She beamed at him. "Thank you! You, too!" She winked at Draco and left with her granddaughters.

Draco smiled and nudged Scorpius shoulder. "Cases, now."

Scorpius wrinkled his nose, but moved to the refrigerator cases where they kept some of the flowers. He filled the lower shelves in the slow hours, when Draco didn't have a shop assistant on duty. He also helped organize some of the shelves and helped Draco put together some of the arrangements designed to help customers with making a decision. Most of their front window themes originated from Scorpius' imagination.

And while Scorpius enjoyed helping Draco in the flower shop, today he was fidgety and kept glancing at the street outside. He was supposed to go to the park with his friend, Albus. Draco had told him that he had to meet Albus' Mum or Dad first, but Draco doubted that he wouldn't approve. Albus, from how Scorpius described him, was a good kid and Draco expected that his parents were just as good.

"Do you think they're going to be late?" Scorpius asked, a little sadly.

Draco rolled his eyes. "If Albus is as excited as you are, I don't think so."

Scorpius sighed and looked outside again. Draco clucked his tongue. "Finish your chores or you won't be going."

With a grumble, Scorpius refocused. His teenage years were going to be interesting, that was for sure. Draco began making an inventory list, marking down what he would need to order soon from the greenhouse and wondering if it was too early to start preparing for Christmas. He had seen a few things in the shops, but he felt, like many, that as it was only October, Christmas needed to wait.

Never mind the fact that Scorpius was already dropping hints.

The door bell jingled and Draco looked up, a greeting on his lips that was lost when he noticed who was there. Oh, he had suspected and he'd prepared for this, but it was nothing compared to the reality of seeing it. Or, rather, him. Harry Potter with a trio of kids, one of whom--a little girl--was hiding behind his legs.

"Albus!" Scorpius yelled, almost knocking over a bin.

Draco pinched his nose. "Chores, Scorpius!"

Scorpius pouted. "But, Dad!"

"Chores and then maybe you can go out," Draco said firmly.

Potter was smirking, just a bit. He put his hand on one of the boy's head. "Why don't you go help your friend?"

Albus, a boy who could be Potter's twin if it wasn't for the obvious age difference, smiled and ran over to Scorpius. They quickly began talking in hushed whispers and Scorpius showed Albus what he had to do. The other boy with Potter was looking around, wrinkling his nose; he looked old enough to still not like girls and must have linked flower shops with things that girls liked. The girl was peeking around Potter's leg with a little interest, but hadn't moved otherwise.

Draco moved around the till and held out his hand. "Potter."

"Malfoy," Potter replied with a nod. His handshake was firm but warm. He'd lost his glasses sometime after school and Draco tried to keep himself from staring at the difference in his eyes because of it. He was in better shape than school which, given how fit he had been, was saying something. 

"I suppose that we should call each other by first names if our boys are going to be friends, though," Draco offered.

Potter looked over at the boys who were almost done with filling the cases and then back at Draco. "I suppose. Draco."

Draco willed himself not to blush and cursed himself, as well. So much for the crush he had thought he lost. "Harry." He raised his eyebrows. "And who are these two?"

The boy puffed his chest out. "I'm James. I'm the oldest," he said proudly.

Draco half smiled. "Hello, James." He turned to the little girl who had been watching him, but ducked back again. "Miss?"

She bit her lip and Harry chuckled. "She isn't this shy normally. Lily, aren't you going to say hi?"

She shook her head and buried her face behind her father's knees. Harry sighed and shrugged. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Draco assured him. "Maybe later, Lily?"

She didn't say anything. Draco shared a smile with Harry and looked over at Scorpius. "All done?"

Scorpius perked up and nodded. "Yes!"

"Then get your coat," Draco told him. 

He cheered and grabbed Albus' hand as he ran to the back. Draco turned back to Harry. "Well. I told him that I needed to meet you so I could be sure he was in good hands, though I suspect I didn't actually need to."

Harry rubbed the back of his head. "Thanks, I suppose."

Draco raised an eyebrow and Harry shrugged. "Dunno. Just, we weren't on the best of terms, were we?"

"I'd like to think that at the very least, who I was would have known that you wouldn't hurt any child," Draco explained. "But we've all changed, haven't we?"

Harry's smile was the best reply.

~~~

Draco raised his hand to knock, but stopped, unsure. He took a deep breath and squeezed his fist. Scorpius shifted next to him, excited. He'd been invited for a sleepover with Albus for the long weekend, since the school was going to be closed for the bank holiday on Monday. Tomorrow, Albus would come and stay with them. The boys had been planning it all week and Draco could only hope that everyone would survive this.

But first, Harry invited Draco to dinner with the kids before he left Scorpius for the night. Dinner. With Potter. And their children, but still. Draco took another breath and began knocking when the door swung open. He looked down and smiled at Albus.

"Finally!" Albus, well, yelled. Clearly Scorpius wasn't the only one excited. "Dad said I had to wait until you knocked, but you were taking forever!"

"My dad's nervous, I think," Scorpius said, shrugging.

Draco felt his face turn bright red as Albus waved his hand. "I wouldn't worry. Dad's a better cook that Mum."

Draco chuckled, unable to help himself. "Well, can we come in?"

Albus gasped. "Right! I'm sorry. Dad says I have to work on my manners. Would you like to come in?" He looked over his shoulder at Harry who was watching from the sitting room. He nodded, proudly, and Albus beamed.

"Thank you," Scorpius answered, peeking up at Draco from the corner of his eye. "We would."

Draco smirked and followed his son into the modest home. It was in a Muggle neighborhood, but like Draco's house, was magical. The fireplace was real of course, but the portraits moved and Draco could sense where Harry was using charms to create more space in an otherwise cramped home. He wondered what the neighbors thought when they visited.

Through a hallway, Draco could see the kitchen where a spoon was stirring something in a pot and it smelled incredible. He smiled and let Harry take his coat as Albus showed Scorpius where to put his. Immediately after, boys took off upstairs somewhere.

"I think Albus was right and wrong," Draco admitted, "because it smells like you're a better cook than I am, too."

Harry blushed. "Between my Muggle family and Mrs. Weasley, it sort of happened. Come on into the kitchen, I'll get you something to drink while I finish dinner."

Draco smiled. "At least you had someone to show you how to cook. Scorpius and I have been learning together more often than not."

Harry held up a bottle of pop and Draco nodded. Pouring two glasses, Harry pointed out, "It's good for the kids though, to do something with them like that. I try, but none of them want to learn how to cook. We've tried sports and other things, but mostly we up end up playing board games."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Do I detect a note of jealousy?"

"Hey, I only wish I could get them to do something more interesting," Harry explained. "Do you know what it's like playing endless rounds of Monopoly? It is the most boring game on the planet and usually ends in bruises and blood."

"The boys?" Draco asked.

Harry smirked. "Lily usually starts and finishes it."

"Like her mum?" Draco mused. "Good for her. Where is she? Or is she still hiding from me?"

Lily, Draco had discovered, had something of a crush on Draco. Much to Harry's amusement and Draco's embarrassment. They both, however, were sure that she would grow out of it soon.

"Hiding," Harry sighed, turning to take over the sauce he was making. "I'm sorry about the crush."

Draco waved away the apology as he leaned up against the counter. "At least someone has a something of an interest in me. It feels like forever since anyone paid me any attention."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Oh? No regular customers who've shown an interest?"

"Not that I've noticed," Draco admitted. "Besides, flower shop--do you know anyone who thinks 'this is the spot to pick up a date'? Most of my customers come in to get flowers to apologize or for a wedding or a date or a funeral."

Harry chuckled. "I see what you mean. Still, I'm sure someone's noticed."

Draco blushed and looked away. "I do have Scorpius to think of. Dating isn't something I'm looking to do."

"So," Harry began, drawing out the vowel. "Scorpius' mum? It didn't work out?"

Draco shook his head. "Not really. I'm not sure, to be honest. We were happy for a while, but we got married because our families wanted us to have children. But Astoria...she liked going out shopping and going to see her friends. She likes to volunteer her time with charities and some community events, but being married to me...it limited what she could do."

"What about you?" Harry asked. "I hear what she lost. Was there something you wanted when you two divorced?"

Draco looked down and swallowed hard. He watched the bubbles in his drink for a moment before he decided to be honest. Better Harry know now then sometime in the future when Draco might just have a partner. And wouldn't that be awkward if it turned out that Harry didn't agree with it? "Men, Harry. Being married to Astoria meant I lost the opportunity to be with someone I could be happy with. I was happy with her, but only as a friend. My father told me that so long as I was discreet, I could have affairs on the side, but I could never do that. Even if she wasn't the gender I preferred, I'd never cheat on my partner. I couldn't."

"Nothing wrong with that," Harry offered quietly.

Draco looked up through his bangs. "It doesn't bother you?"

Harry blushed and half smiled. "How can it bother me? I'm bi."

Oh. Well. Draco looked away quickly before he could reveal everything with some kind of look and cleared his throat. "And what about you? Where's Mrs. Potter?"

"You mean the former Mrs. Potter?" Harry teased. "I'm not sure exactly since the training grounds are a well kept secret even from former husbands and children."

Draco hummed thoughtfully. "Ginny was a good player in school."

"She's going to retire after the next season," Harry said. "Going into reporting. But that's what she said five seasons ago, so who knows?"

"What about the kids?" Draco asked. "I mean, I thought since she was touring so often you had custody so someone was home with them, but if she's just going to be a reporter, she could see them more often. Right?"

Harry shook his head. "She could. When she does retire, she's still going to be on tour a lot, but it wouldn't be as grueling so she could take the kids with her. We've decided to talk it out with the kids. I suspect, to be fair to them, they'll stay with me. We've been here since Lily was a baby. It'd be difficult to start over and really, there's no reason why I couldn't continue to look after them. And Ginny's happier this way. She loves her kids, but this way, she gets her cake and have it, too."

Draco nodded. "And you've got no one else?"

"Well, it's like you said. I've got the kids to think of. And there's three of them. People wouldn't mind, but I've also found that some of them want to add more by having kids of their own. Which is fine, but I'm happier with just three. You know?"

Draco did. He sipped his drink. "So that'll be us, eh? Seeing the kids off to Hogwarts, two bachelors with families."

Harry licked his lips. "Though one never knows what the future holds."

He didn't mean...he hadn't actually... Draco had to be imagining things. Luckily, before his mouth could get him trouble, there was a thud from upstairs that was quickly followed by shouting. Harry looked at Draco who was wide-eyed. He only had the one kid and Scorpius, for all he had made fast friends with Albus, had been solitary when Draco had taken him to playgroups and playgrounds. 

"Come on," Harry muttered, setting the sauce to stir again.

~~~

By the time Christmas arrived, Draco and Harry had only grown closer with the hint of something beginning, something good, but they never spoke of it. There was an undertext to their conversations; conversations held when the kids were off playing or when they picked the kids up. Little touches and smiles and Draco--who had been honest when he said that he wasn't looking for anything--could admit that he wouldn't mind having someone to come home to. If said someone came with three kids, well, at least that someone knew how to handle having that many kids in one house. (Because that first time? Draco hadn't known how fast kids could get into an argument or how fast they could get over it. Or what to do in the interim, to get them to apologize or admit what happened.)

And so when Harry invited them to Christmas dinner--"because while I'm sure you've done fine, just the two of you, Christmas is meant to be had with a lot of people."--Draco said yes immediately. Scorpius had been over the moon since.

They'd planned another sleepover, but this time, Draco found himself roped into it, too. Though he hadn't said yes to that at first, it had been when Scorpius had slipped up and said "our family", that Draco's choice was made.

Because even Scorpius had sensed something going on.

Harry's home was decorated haphazardly and only a few things matched. Looking around, Harry shrugged with an embarrassed smile. "I just...picked up things here and there. I had a set when I first moved in, but over the years, things broke or got lost somewhere. It just seemed easier to replace what got broken year by year."

Draco's home had a solitary tree with a few ornaments and a string of popcorn. It served him well, but seeing Scorpius' reaction to this, he decided that he'd do more in the future. As usual, the boys tore off upstairs somewhere so Harry and Draco sat on the sofa to watch a game together.

"So, I think I should tell you," Harry slowly began during a commercial break. "My kids have been plotting something and I only found out yesterday."

Draco half smiled. "Whatever it is, I doubt I'll be surprised."

"But maybe put out," Harry muttered.

Draco sighed."Just tell me."

Harry ducked his head and pointed up. "I don't know where they learned the charm and I got a notice from the Ministry about it, something about teaching the kids to be more careful now that they can perform magic on purpose. I haven't figured out how to undo it yet."

 _It_ was a sprig of mistletoe above the sofa that hadn't been there before. Draco blinked at it. "Sorry, but what?"

"Whenever I sit down, it pops up," Harry explained. "I asked them about it, but they've been silent. The things is, James just learned in school what two people being caught under it means and seeing as how the only person I've been seeing as regular as a date could be is...well...you." Harry cleared his throat. "Yeah."

There was the sound that resembled whispering from the stairs, but catching Harry's eye, Draco kept silent about it. Instead, he set down his cider and turned to face Harry. "I suppose then we should finally talk about it."

Harry swallowed hard. "You said you didn't want more kids."

"Babies, no, but I suppose I don't mind a certain trio," Draco admitted. "And they do all get along like siblings at this point. Though that really isn't the issue here, is it?"

Harry raised his eyebrows and Draco shrugged. "What happens if it doesn't work out?"

"I think we could be grown up about it and the kids could still be friends," Harry slowly argued.

They were silent for a long minute and the group on the stairs were soundly getting more anxious. Draco licked his lips. "We do have a lot in common though, and our kids do already get along."

Harry nodded. "I do like you. A lot."

Draco blushed, a little. "Good thing I like you, too."

Harry looked up at the mistletoe and then back at Draco. "Want to try a kiss?"

"Quiet!" Lily hissed from the stairs. "They're about to kiss!"

"Ew!" the three boys answered her.

Draco chuckled and Harry, though he was smiling like he wanted to laugh, too, kissed it out of Draco's mouth. It was soft and sweet and Draco could've done it forever if it was for Lily jumping onto the sofa. "Finally! Now we can live together, right?"

"I don't want to see that again, though," James muttered as he slunk into the room behind Albus and Scorpius.

Draco sighed and Harry shook his head. "Maybe they'll move in, next year. These things take time, Lily."

She wrinkled her nose. "Adults are weird."

"Agreed," Scorpius said. 

Harry winked at Draco. "Too late to back out."

Draco looked at their kids, who were now arguing over what to watch--so much for the game--and half smiled. "I don't mind all that much."

Harry beamed at him.

**Author's Note:**

> You can leave a comment here or on [Livejournal](http://hd-erised.livejournal.com/28003.html).


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